Frequently Asked Questions
Mulches control weeds by preventing the germination of weed seeds. Established weeds should be destroyed prior to the application of the mulch. In addition to weed control, mulches help conserve soil moisture, reduce soil erosion, prevent...
Cultivation and hand pulling effectively control most annual weeds. It is very important to destroy these weeds while they are small, before they produce thousands of seeds, guaranteeing a weed problem for many years in the future. Like annual...
Keeping ahead of weeds and controlling them when they are small is essential for good weed management. This requires persistence throughout the entire growing season to remove weeds as they emerge. There are essentially two types of weeds in our...
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma. After pollination and fertilization, fruit set occurs. There are two types of pollination. Self-pollination occurs when the pollen is transferred from the...
A crabapple is a type of apple. The main difference between an apple and a crabapple is the size of the fruit. A crabapple is a tree that produces fruit that are less than 2 inches in diameter. An apple tree produces fruit that...
The lack of fruit is likely due to the absence of flowers, poor pollination, or low temperatures during bloom.
The lack of flowers is often due to the age of the tree. After planting, most dwarf and semi-dwarf apple trees don’...
Place the jade plant (Crassula argentea) in a sunny window where it receives at least 4 hours of direct sunlight. The jade plant is a succulent which stores water in its foliage and stems. Overwatering (watering too...
The umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla) is native to rainforests in Australia and New Guinea. In the home, place the umbrella tree in bright, indirect light near an east, west, or south window. Allow the potting soil to...
The centers of ornamental grasses often die as the plants get older. When this occurs, it’s a good time to dig and divide the grasses. When the grasses begin to grow in spring, dig up entire clumps, cut out and discard the dead center...
Crabgrass is an annual weed. In flower and vegetable gardens, hoeing and hand pulling are the best control options. When cultivating the garden, avoid deep tillage. The roots of many vegetables and flowers grow near the soil...
Apply a mulch around landscape plantings and garden areas to conserve soil moisture. Mulching reduces the rate of evaporation from the soil surface and also limits weed competition. Organic materials, such as grass clippings, clean...
The greenish worm is probably the pear slug. The pear slug is not an actual slug. It’s the larval stage of an insect (sawfly). The pear slug feeds on pear, cherry, plum, and several other woody plants.
The slug-...
Most modern tulip cultivars bloom well for 3 to 5 years. Tulip bulbs decline in vigor rather quickly. Weak bulbs produce large, floppy leaves, but no flowers.
To maximize the number of years tulips are in bloom, choose...
Native ferns that are good additions to shady locations in the home landscape include,
- northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum),
- lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina),
- intermediate wood fern (...
In the past, some gardeners used salt to control weeds in their asparagus plantings. However, salt is not effective in controlling many weeds, especially grasses. Plus, continued use of salt over several years may result in high salt...
Trapping is the best way to get rid of moles. Trapping isn't easy, but it does work. Patience and persistence are required. Traps can usually be found in hardware stores and garden centers. When using traps, carefully...
Spring-flowering woodland wildflowers that are attractive additions to shady areas in the home landscape include:
- wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
- Jack-in-the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
- ...
Determinate and indeterminate refer to the tomato’s growth habit. Determinate tomatoes are small, compact plants. They grow to a certain height, stop, then flower and set all their fruit within a short period of time. The...
Proper pruning of purple raspberries promotes high yields, helps control diseases, and facilitates harvesting and other maintenance chores.
In March or early April, remove all small, weak canes, leaving only 4 or 5 of the largest,...
American holly (Ilex opaca) and English holly (Ilex aquifolium) are prized for their glossy, green leaves and brightly colored fruit. Sprigs of both hollies are often used in wreaths, centerpieces, and other Christmas...
Plant spring-flowering bulbs at a depth equal to 3 to 4 times their maximum bulb diameter. Accordingly, daffodils and tulips should be planted 6 to 8 inches deep, crocuses and grape hyacinths 3 to 4 inches deep. Large bulbs, such as...
Do not mow shady areas less than 3 inches in height. Because of the lower photosynthetic rates in shady areas, the turfgrass plants need a large leaf surface to manufacture adequate amounts of food. The recommended mowing height for...
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